Alzheimer essays

Alzheimer essays Alzheimers is the death of the mind before the body. (1) This definition of Alzheimers is very simple, but very true; it sums up the disease in one simple statement. Scientifically Alzheimers is a progressive, neurological disease, in which plaque and tangles, composed primarily of protein, build up on and in neurons respectively, in the hippocampus and interfere with memory, thinking, language skills and behavior. (2) It is still unclear whether these structures cause the disease, or if they are a byproduct of it. The disease is named after a German physician, Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906 he did a case study on a 51-year-old woman who suffered from a brain disorder, and her brain autopsy showed the same plaques and tangles that are used to diagnose Alzheimers today. The cause of Alzheimers is still unknown. (2). However current research is finding that there can be several contributing factors such as genetics, head injuries, age, neuron damage from free radicals, brain inflammation, and environmental factors. Age being the most important risk factor. There are also two types of the disease: sporadic and familial. Familial Alzheimers follows an obvious inheritance pattern, however less than ten percent of Alzheimers cases are familial. If this were the more prevalent form of the disease it would be much easier to predict and therefore one could start preparing far in advance, because this type can strike as early as 30. Scientists have made great advancements on the genetic front of the disease. They have zeroed in on three mutations on chromosomes 1, 14, and 21 that cause early-onset Alzheimers disease, which affects people within the ages of 30-60. They have also found information on late-onset Alzheimers, and other genes they believe increase susceptibility to the disease. There are two general categories of Alzheimers symptoms:...